Tot Sophia Taylor's family set for charity sky dive

Sophia Taylor was born on May 10, 2020 and, after being transferred from Airedale General Hospital to Leeds General Infirmary (LGI), doctors found she needed open heart surgery.

She remained on a ventilator for eight weeks after her 13-hour-long surgery and was then diagnosed with DIGeorge Syndrome. This is a condition present from birth that can cause a range of lifelong problems, including heart defects and learning difficulties.

Sophia, three, pictured with her family - mum Charlotte, dad Russell and her big brother Joshua (Image: Charlotte Taylor)

After the first three months of her life spent in hospital, Sophia was allowed to go home in Cullingworth with her parents, Charlotte and Russell Taylor, and her older brother Joshua, seven.

Since she came home in August 2021, Sophia has a host of regular appointments but is now able to eat food orally after initially being fitted with a tube to aid feeding. Sophia’s grandfather, Mark Whitaker, and her uncle Justin George will tackle a skydive at Hibaldstow Airfield, North Lincolnshire, on Saturday, August 12.

Sophia, who had open heart surgery at just four days old, pictured in hospital (Image: Charlotte Taylor)

They are raising money for the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund, which supports children and adults born with congenital heart defects in Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. The charity, which Sophia’s family has supported, works with the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit at LGI. The daredevil duo aim to raise £1,600 for the cause.

From left, Sophia and her uncle Justin George and her grandfather Mark Whitaker (Image: Charlotte Taylor)

Charlotte says her daughter, now three, faces two more open heart surgeries in the future and is a happy girl.

She said: “She (Sophia) is amazing, she is a warrior.

“We didn’t know anything was wrong with her until after she was born. She does eat and drink orally, but she has a feeding tube at night.

“She will need to have two more open surgeries. It’s a waiting game. She gets poorly very often, but she has just gone 12 weeks without being ill.

Charlotte and her daughter Sophia, aged three (Image: Newsquest)

“She is delayed in her development. She only eats pureed food, yet she is a happy little girl. We go through a lot of appointments.

“She will have to have another stent before she can have more open-heart surgery. She was in hospital for such a long time.

“My stepdad keeps saying he is not fazed by it (the skydive). We are all going to support them all. My brother-in-law has been watching videos of skydives and has said ‘what have I signed up for?’”

Go to justgiving.com/page/mark-whitaker-1687946887531? to make a donation.